Burglar-alarm system.



No. 774,342. PATENTED NOV. 8, 1904:. H. D. STROUD.

BURGLAR ALARM SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 22, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

F am/df m 26 15y m UNITED STATES Patented November 8, 1904.

PATENT OEETTJE.

HAROLD D. STROUD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO' A. MILLER BELFIELD,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BURGLAR-ALARM SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION o g part of Le Patent o. 774,342, dated November 8, 1904.

Application filed December 22, 1902. Serial No. 186,274. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HAROLD D. STRoUD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Burglar-Alarm Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to burglar-alarm systems; and its object is to provide a simple, practical, effective, and reliable system for indicating the presence of burglars in a house I 5 or building. I desirably provide for theautomatic indication of this fact and also for its manual or hand indication.

In the arrangement for carrying out my invention herein set forth I provide a tele- 2o phone-transmitter at some suitable place-as, for example, the locality from which the alarm is to be given and also a phonograph which is arranged to speak into the transmitter. At the central station I provide a suitable telephone receiving apparatus, whereby the speaking of the phonograph into the transmitter can be heard at the central station. The phonograph is arranged to speak certain predetermined phrases such, for example, as, 0 Burglar at 120 State street. This it will repeat over and over again. At thelocality from which the alarm is to be given there is arranged suitable apparatus by which the alarm can be manually or automatically given. In the former case the alarm can be given by the depression of a key, which action releases the phonograph and throws the transmitter in circuit, so that at once the phonograph begins to speak into the transmitter and the lat- 4 ter transmits the message to the central station. I desirably provide means at the central station whereby signal will be given there to call attention of an operator as soon as the phonograph is put into operation. In the arrangement for automatically giving the alarm I conveniently provide a circuit which is normally kept in a closed condition with a battery and extend this circuit in such manner and to such places that it will become broken or opened by the entry of the burglar into the house or building. The breakage or opening of the circuit automatically releases the phonograph, which thereupon speaks into the transmitter as before, and also automatically releases the mechanism for causing a signal to be displayed and repeated at the central station.

In the accompanying drawing, the figure is a view illustrating a bu rglar-alarm system embodying my invention, having two arrangements, one operable by hand and the other automatically.

Referring to the drawing, I have shown at A the hand-operated alarm, atB the automatically-operated alarm, and C is the central station to which the alarms are transmitted.

The manually-operated alarm atA consists of a spring-actuated phonograph (0, having a rotary fan-wheel b. The latter is arranged to be engaged so as to hold the phonograph against action by akey c. I also provide atelephone-transmitter (Z, which is understood to be properly arranged to receive the message delivered by the phonograph when the same is in operation. ,The transmitter (Z is included in a circuit 0, which is closed at f by the key 0, the key being arranged, as will be seen, to release the fan-wheel b of the phonograph a and close the transmitter-circuit at the same time when depressed. I also desirably provide a rotary cam g, which is understood to be connected with the phonograph a so as to be driven thereby, and arrange this cam so as to actuate a bell-crank it, included in the transmitter-circuit e. The repeated actuations of the bell-crank 71 by the cam 9 causes the transmitter-circuit to be repeatedly broken and closed. This is done for a short period of time at the beginning of the phonograph actuation. The gearing by which the cam g is operated is then thrown out of gear by an arm or projection d in the transmitter (Z striking a pivoted lever or arm a, which is connected with a gear-wheel on the shaft of the phonograph a. I also desirably provide a switch a inthe transmitter-circuit 4, adapted to normally maintain said circuit closed, but arranged toopen the same when the phonograph has operated its full extent, as by the traveling of the cylinder to the end thereof. A convenient manner for bringing about this operation is to arrange a push 7', which will be struck by the end of the reproducer of the phonograph to swing the switch 2 and open the circuit. it will be seen that the depression of the key 0 will release the fan-wheel 6, thereby allowing the phonograph to operate, and will at the same time close the transmitter circuit 0. The operation of the phonograph causes the message thereof to be spoken into the transmitter d for transmission to the central station, and the operation of the phonograph also causes the cam g to actuate the switch it, and thereby repeatedly open and close the transmitter-circuit to give a repeated signal at the central station at the beginning of the operation for the purpose of attracting the attention of the central oflice. When the phonograph has operated to its full extent or to any predetermined extent, the switch 7? is automatically opened, thereby opening the transmitter-circuit.

The automatically-operable alarm apparatus at B consists of the same mechanism as the hand-operable arrangement at A, excepting as to the means for closing the transmittercircuit and releasing the phonograph. At B this is done automatically instead of by hand, as at A. A convenient arrangement is to provide a local circuit 7r, including a local battery land relays m and n. The relay at has an armature 0, which is arranged to engage the fan-wheel b of the phonograph when attracted by the relay m and to release the fan-wheel, and thereby release the phonograph a, when released by the deenergization of the relay in. This armature is also included in the relaycircuit and is adapted to maintain the same open when attracted by the relay m and to release the same when released thereby. The relay n has an armature p, which is included in the local circuit 70, and is arranged to maintain that circuit closed when attracted by the relay a, but to open the circuit when such relay becomes deenergized. In this arrangement it will be seen that the local circuit Z; is closed and is maintained in a closed condition so long as conditions are normal, in which arrangement the armatu res o and p are attracted to their respective relays, the former holding the transmitter-circuit open and holding the phonograph against operation and the latter holding the local circuit closed. Upon the breakage of the local circuit 7n, however, the armatures 0 and p are released, the former releasing the phonograph and permitting it to operate and simultaneously closing the transmitter-circuit and the latter opening the local circuit 70. This armature is so mounted that it falls down when released, so that a subsequent closure of the circuit 7 at a broken point will not restore it. The operation of By this arrangement the phonograph, transmitter, and signaling mechanism when the phonograph is released and the transmitter-circuit closed is the same as in the hand-operated mechanism at A.

At the central station 0, I provide a receiver g in a local induction-circuit r therefor. I also provide a switch-hook s for the receiver g and include the same in the linecircuit 6, which is connected with the transmitter-circuits a e and inductively related to the local receiver-circuit r. The hook s is arranged to hold the "line-circuit t normally open and to close the same when the receiver q is lifted from the hook 8. By this arrangement the messages transmitted from the alarmstations can be listened to by an attendant at the central station by taking the receiver 1 from its hook. I also desirably provide a transmitter 14, by which communication with an alarm-station can be given, if desired. At the central station I also arrange a branch circuito of the line-circuit t and include therein a local battery w and a relay 0. The armature ;2 of the relay a" is included in a derived circuit 2, which also includes an alarm-bell 1 or other suitable alarm device. The branch circuit '2; is desirably provided with impe dance-coils 2 2. By such arrangement the opening and closing of a transmitter-circuit e by the cam g and switch it at an alarm-station causes the relay to be energized and deenergized according as the transmitter-circuit is closed or opened. When the relay m is energized, its armature will be attracted, thereby closing the local circuit 2 and ringing the alarm-bell l. The repeated opening and closing of a transmitter -circuit therefore causes the hell 1 to alternately ring and remain silent. The impedance-coils 2 2 prevent the voice-currents passing through the battery. At the central station I. also desirably provide a spring-jack 3 and plug 4L and connect the same with the line-circuit t. This spring-jack and plug are for a portable telephone set 5 for a runner or attendant who can plug into the different circuits whenever desired.

By the system as above set forth it will be seen that a burglar-alarm can be manually given at any point equipped with the apparatus shown at A by a policeman or other party and that when this alarm is given by depression of the key cthe phonograph (a will be set in operation, thereupon causing a message to be transmitted over the line to the central station C and repeated there through the receiver q, and at the same time a signal is continuously given at that station to call the attention of an attendant to the message. It will also be seen that by an apparatus such as that shown at B the breakage or opening of the local. circuit 78 by the opening of a window or door or otherwise, as desired, will automatically release the phonograph a and thereupon cause a message to be transmitted IIO to the central station and attention repeatedly called to this message. that whenever desired an attendant at the central station can communicate with one of the alarm-stations, and also that an attendant can plug into any alarm-circuit to learn the conditions thereupon or communicate therewith, as desired.

In place of the centralstation arrangement herein shown the alarm apparatus can be con nected with one of the circuits of atelephoneexchange operating on the common battery system. In such case the repeating signal would attract the operators attention if she were connected with the line.

It will be seen that the system herein shown can be used for other purposes than a burglar-alarm system. For example, it can be used'as a fire-alarm system. In such case the phonographs would be arranged to deliver messages indicating the presence and location of a fire. The apparatus could be set in operation manually, as shown at A, and automatically by arranging a local circuit 7-: to become broken or otherwise affected by the presence of heatas, for example, by including in it some device normally closedbut operable to open upon the presence of an undue amount of heat, as a thermal cut-out or thermostat.

It will be understood that I do not wish to limit myself to the precise apparatus herein set forth, as the same may be changed, modified, or altered without departing from the spirit of my invention.

l/V hat I claim is 1. The combination with a transmittingcircuit, a transmitter included therein, a phonograph adapted to speak into the transmitter, means for automatically causing the actuation of the phonograph, and means for antomatically opening and closing the transmitting-circuit while the phonograph is operating, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a telephone transmitting-circuit, telephone apparatus at the central station, and an alarm apparatus at the subscribers station, comprising means for sending a message over the telephone-circuit,

It will also be seen and means for opening and closing said transmitting-circuit when the message is being sent, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a telephone transmitting-circuit, telephone apparatus at the central station, an alarm apparatus at the subscribers station, comprising means for sending a message over the telephonecircuit, means for producing a signal at the central station at a time when the message is being sent, and a switch operated by the reproducer of the phonograph when such reproducer reaches the end of its travel, substantially as described.

4:. The combination with atelephone-circuit and telephone apparatus at the central exchange and subscribers station, of a phonograph at the subscribers station, a transmitter connected in shunt with the telephone-circuit and arranged to receive the message of the phonograph, a switch for opening the transmitting-circuit, means for operating said switch intermittently during a portion of the operation of the phonograph, and means for opening the same at the termination of the phonograph action, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a telephone-circuit, of telephone apparatus at the central exchange and also at the subscribers station, a phonograph also at the subscribers station, a transmitter connected in shunt with the transmitting-circuit and arranged to receive a message from the phonograph, means for opening and closing the transmitting-circuit at a time during the operation of the phonograph, means for opening the same at the termination of such operation, and a switch 0 adapted to hold the phonograph normally against 0peration and arranged to maintain the circuit normally open but to close the same when operated, substantially as described.

HAROLD D. STROUD.

Witnesses:

A. MILLER BELFIELD, I. O. LEE. 

